U.S. patent application number 17/251703 was filed with the patent office on 2021-09-09 for device and method for setting up and/or providing a working environment.
This patent application is currently assigned to Siemens Aktiengesellschaft. The applicant listed for this patent is Siemens Aktiengesellschaft. Invention is credited to Markus Sauer, Florian Zeiger.
Application Number | 20210278823 17/251703 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005654102 |
Filed Date | 2021-09-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210278823 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sauer; Markus ; et
al. |
September 9, 2021 |
Device and Method for Setting Up and/or Providing a Working
Environment
Abstract
Various embodiments include a control device for setting up
and/or providing a working environment with at least one
performance unit to perform at least one factory task by means of
machines comprising: a resource management unit programmed to
request resources necessary for the working environment; and a
comparison unit programmed to compare the requested resources with
at least one resource agreed upon in a binding agreement stored in
a distributed database and to approve the requested resource in
dependence on the comparison result. The control device is
programmed to set up and/or provide the working environment with at
least one compared and approved resource. The at least one
performance unit is programmed to coordinate the checking for
complete factory task performance by one or more units involved in
the working environment.
Inventors: |
Sauer; Markus; (Munchen,
DE) ; Zeiger; Florian; (Hohenkirchen-Siegertsbrunn,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft |
Munchen |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Munchen
DE
|
Family ID: |
1000005654102 |
Appl. No.: |
17/251703 |
Filed: |
May 24, 2019 |
PCT Filed: |
May 24, 2019 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2019/063485 |
371 Date: |
December 11, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 2220/00 20130101;
G06Q 10/103 20130101; G06Q 10/06313 20130101; G05B 2219/31001
20130101; G05B 19/4188 20130101; G06Q 10/06315 20130101; G06F 16/27
20190101 |
International
Class: |
G05B 19/418 20060101
G05B019/418; G06Q 10/06 20060101 G06Q010/06; G06Q 10/10 20060101
G06Q010/10; G06F 16/27 20060101 G06F016/27 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 14, 2018 |
EP |
18177654.3 |
Claims
1. A control device for setting up and/or providing a working
environment which comprises at least one performance unit to
perform at least one factory task by means of machines, the device
comprising: a resource management unit programmed to request
resources necessary for the working environment; and a comparison
unit programmed to compare the requested resources with at least
one resource agreed upon in a binding agreement stored in a
distributed database and to approve the requested resource in
dependence on the comparison result; wherein the control device is
programmed to set up and/or provide the working environment with at
least one compared and approved resource; and the at least one
performance unit is programmed to coordinate the checking for
complete factory task performance by one or more units involved in
the working environment.
2. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least
one performance unit is programmed to perform the at least one task
once the working environment has been set up and/or provided.
3. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the agreement
comprises a smart contract stored in one or more blockchains.
4. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control
device is programmed to initiate an approval of said resources
and/or to perform said approval itself.
5. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least
one performance unit further has comprises a monitoring unit which
is programmed to log parameters necessary for the performance of
the at least one task and, if necessary, store them in the
blockchain.
6. A method for setting up and/or providing a working environment
for the performance of at least one factory task by means of
machines, the method comprising: requesting resources necessary for
the working environment; comparing the requested resources with at
least one resource agreed upon in a binding agreement stored in a
distributed database and approving the requested resource in
dependence on the comparison result; and setting up and/or
providing the working environment with at least one compared and
approved resource; and coordinating checking for correct and/or
complete factory task performance by one or more machines involved
in the working environment.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising performing
the at least one task once the working environment has been set up
and/or provided.
8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the agreement
comprises a smart contract stored in one or more blockchains.
9. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising initiating
or performing an approval of said resources.
10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the parameters
necessary for performance of the at least one task are logged and,
if necessary, stored in the blockchain.
11. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising billing
the approved resources once the working environment has been set up
and/or provided.
12. (canceled)
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a U.S. National Stage Application of
International Application No. PCT/EP2019/063485 filed May 24, 2019,
which designates the United States of America, and claims priority
to EP Application No. 18177654.3 filed Jun. 14, 2018, the contents
of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their
entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates working environments. Various
embodiments may include device and/or methods for setting up and/or
providing a working environment, e.g., in a machine economy
environment.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A need exists to protect products, for example devices (e.g.
control devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices), device
components or software components, but also machines, machine tools
or robots or robot-controlled components, with IT security
mechanisms against manipulation and/or reverse engineering.
Cryptographic IT security mechanisms are already in use, for
example in smart devices, for example in devices of the Internet of
Things (IoT), of cyber-physical systems, of energy technology
automation systems or of manufacturing systems, of operational
technology or of other installations.
[0004] In the present description, the expression "protected
against manipulation" extends beyond the term "security". Not only
are the aforementioned cryptographic or security methods used here,
but data transmission is also reliably secured against attacks or
unauthorized external access.
[0005] In the context of the present description, the term
"security" refers essentially to the security or protection,
confidentiality and/or integrity of data and their transmission,
and also security, confidentiality and/or integrity in the access
to corresponding data. Authentication in data transmissions or in
data access is also included in the term "security" as it is used
in the context of the present description. A module of a device or
of a component can be configured here as a hardware unit and/or
functional unit which can be designed on the basis of software
and/or firmware. The function can be performed, for example, by
means of a processor and/or a memory unit for storing program
commands.
[0006] Industrial devices, e.g. control devices, field devices, IOT
devices or IOT gateways, use a plurality of cryptographic keys,
e.g. to authenticate themselves, to protect the integrity of stored
data and program code, to check and decrypt firmware updates and to
protect the integrity and, if necessary, the confidentiality of
project planning data and configuration data. In order to transmit
data, above all control data, said devices can be equipped with a
data interface which can be designed and configured as wired or
wireless, e.g. a WLAN, Bluetooth or NFC (Near Field Communication)
interface. The device can be connected to a network or can
communicate with other devices by means of this data interface.
[0007] Further wireless or radio-based transmission technologies
are usable here (e.g. Safety over WLAN, such as e.g. ProfiSafe,
WiMax, Cloud Robotics, GSM, UMTS, LTE, 5G, Vehicle-2-X
communication, etc.).
[0008] In a "machine economy", which will come into use, in
particular, in the Industry 4.0 environment, services are offered
to autonomous units (entities), wherein the conditions and the
agreement relating to a service can be negotiated and defined by
smart contracts (intelligent consensus or intelligent consensus
contract). Distributed databases exist. A common, binding business
logic which can comprise the negotiated and binding conditions
between the units or the agreement of said units can be distributed
and/or centrally stored for the units using the distributed
database. A time period within which the conditions are valid or to
which the agreement applies can be understood as "binding". In the
present context, the term "business logic" does not mean a purely
commercial consensus between the units, but rather that one or more
agreements, preferably relating to at least one specified technical
requirement or prerequisite or condition--e.g. resource requirement
or technical components to be provided or compliance with technical
standards or use of specific protocols--is/are demanded by the
business logic from the units involved. This/these agreement(s) are
intended to be designed as non-manipulatable. A particular type of
distributed database or distributed ledger is organized on the
basis of a blockchain technology. Smart contracts of this type can
implement conditions or agreements locally in the units involved
therein.
[0009] A blockchain is generally understood to mean a distributed
database whose integrity (safeguarding against subsequent
manipulation) is protected through storage of the one-way function
value, also referred to as the hash value, of the preceding dataset
or block or element in the respective subsequent dataset or block
or element, i.e. through cryptographic chaining. The protection
arises through a plurality of trusted nodes in a blockchain network
which carry out a mining or validation of blocks. In the network of
nodes participating in a blockchain, a new block is formed at
regular intervals, for example every 10 minutes, and the hash value
of an existing block is stored along with it. once they have
appeared in the chain, transactions are no longer modifiable
unnoticed. An "oracle" can be used to introduce adapted/modified
data from other sources into a smart contract, resulting in a
specific behavior of a smart contract.
[0010] The sequence of all transactions stored in the blockchain
can be referred to as the "general ledger" of the blockchain. One
type of blockchain is an out-of-band blockchain or a hybrid in
which some of the blockchain nodes communicate with one another
in-band and some of the blockchain nodes communicate with one
another out-of-band. Out-of-band communication is to be understood
here to mean, in particular, a communication via a public network
and/or communication via a network which differs from the
aforementioned network.
[0011] Known blockchain systems are Bitcoin and Ethereum. Whereas
Bitcoin was originally created for cryptocurrency transfers,
Ethereum is based on the incorporation of smart contracts. The
implementation of the contractual conditions or agreements is
controlled via associated performed transactions: follow-up actions
set out in a programmed smart contract can be carried out according
to the performed transaction. Through the implementation of
business logic in the form of smart contracts in a blockchain
environment, the execution of the business logic instigated by a
signed transaction is guaranteed as invariable or
non-manipulatable.
[0012] One possible solution for securing the data exchange between
two units or devices, particularly in the environment of an SDN
controller, by means of a blockchain, has already been proposed in
DE 102017217057.3.
[0013] Furthermore, a control device for operating a
software-defined network having a number of network elements has
already been proposed in EP 18173595.2, wherein, by means of a
network image published in a general ledger of a blockchain, the
network image can be compared with a network image of a further
control device.
[0014] A controlled resource distribution in a distributed computer
environment which relates only to computer resource distribution,
but does not refer to any task completion of factory machines, is
known from WO 2017/021155 A1.
[0015] If a consensus is reached between two autonomous units (e.g.
two factory machines of two different manufacturers or companies),
it is necessary for the communication infrastructure (IT) and
runtime environment (OT) to be set up and configured so that the
performance of the agreed transaction is effected and can be
guaranteed in a timely manner. In the case of the aforementioned
Bitcoin, a relatively simple stack-based runtime environment is
used. A transaction comprises the checksum for checking the
validity of the transaction. The aforementioned blockchain platform
Ethereum supports a freely programmable runtime environment so that
the program code of a blockchain can be implemented in a flexible
manner. A business logic is stored here, for example, as program
code in the blockchain. In this sense, the transaction to be
performed is stored as a transaction dataset in a (chain) link of
the blockchain. Further blockchain implementations, e.g.
hyperledgers, are possible. A hyperledger supports a freely
programmable runtime environment for the execution of smart
contracts.
[0016] The aforementioned solutions provide purely structural
environments for the execution of smart contracts. However, they do
not cover the operational part and the execution itself. In most
Industry 4.0 scenarios, the need exists to enable or perform a
flexible resource allocation during the operation of the system or
installation. An integrated solution for uniform and efficient
resource allocation/distribution is necessary in respect of the
cloud, edge cloud and/or industry edge cloud also.
SUMMARY
[0017] A need, then, exists for reliable communication in a
wireless transmission of control data and additional data which are
used for a control. It must be assumed here that the radio
transmission can be subject to temporary interference or
interruption. The teachings of the present disclosure include
improved methods, devices, and/or facilities compared with the
above-mentioned prior art, particularly in the environment of
machine interactions.
[0018] For example, some embodiments include a control device (OM)
for setting up and/or providing a working environment which
comprises at least one performance unit (TM) to perform at least
one factory task by means of machines, having: a resource
management unit for requesting resources necessary for the working
environment, a comparison unit which is configured to compare the
requested resources with at least one resource agreed upon in a
binding agreement stored in a distributed database and to approve
the requested resource in dependence on the comparison result,
wherein the control device is configured to set up and/or provide
the working environment with at least one compared and approved
resource, and the at least one performance unit is configured to
coordinate the checking for complete factory task performance by
one or more units involved in the working environment.
[0019] In some embodiments, the at least one performance unit is
configured to perform the at least one task once the working
environment has been set up and/or provided.
[0020] In some embodiments, the agreement is designed as a smart
contract which is stored in one or more blockchains.
[0021] In some embodiments, the control device is configured to
initiate an approval of said resources and/or to perform said
approval itself.
[0022] In some embodiments, the at least one performance unit
further has a monitoring unit which is configured to log the
parameters necessary for the performance of the at least one task
and, if necessary, store them in the blockchain.
[0023] As another example, some embodiments include a method for
setting up and/or providing a working environment for the
performance of at least one factory task by means of machines,
having the following steps: requesting (2) resources necessary for
the working environment, comparing the requested resources with at
least one resource agreed upon in a binding agreement stored in a
distributed database and approving the requested resource in
dependence on the comparison result, and setting up and/or
providing (3) the working environment with at least one compared
and approved resource, wherein the checking (4) for correct and/or
complete factory task performance by one or more machines involved
in the working environment is coordinated.
[0024] In some embodiments, the at least one task is performed (4)
once the working environment has been set up and/or provided.
[0025] In some embodiments, the agreement is designed as a smart
contract which is stored in one or more blockchains.
[0026] In some embodiments, an approval (7) of said resources is
initiated and/or performed.
[0027] In some embodiments, the parameters necessary for the
performance of the at least one task or logged and, if necessary,
stored in the blockchain.
[0028] In some embodiments, a billing (8) of the approved resources
is performed once the working environment has been set up and/or
provided.
[0029] As another example, some embodiments include a computer
program product which initiates the performance of the method as
described herein on a program-controlled device, in particular the
control device as described herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] The properties, features, and advantages of the teachings of
the present disclosure described above and the manner in which they
are achieved will become clearer and more readily understandable in
conjunction with the following description of the example
embodiments which are explained in detail with reference to the
figures. In the figures, in a schematic view:
[0031] FIG. 1 shows schematically a machine economy environment
incorporating teachings of the present disclosure; and
[0032] FIG. 2 shows a sequence of an example for setting up a
working environment incorporating teachings of the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0033] The present disclosure describes control devices for setting
up and/or providing a working environment. For example, some
embodiments of the teachings herein comprise at least one
performance unit to perform at least one task, having: [0034] a
resource management unit for requesting resources necessary for the
working environment, and [0035] a comparison unit which is
configured to compare the requested resources with at least one
resource agreed upon in a binding agreement stored in a distributed
database and to approve the requested resource in dependence on the
comparison result, wherein [0036] the control device is configured
to set up and/or provide the working environment with at least one
compared and approved resource.
[0037] In some embodiments, the distributed database is organized
as a blockchain. One or more agreements of this type can be
designed or formed as a smart contract of at least one blockchain.
The working environment can be a virtual working environment, i.e.
it is only "logically" or functionally simulated in its mode of
operation corresponding to a physical working environment. It is
conceivable for a plurality of blockchain structures to exist for
one overall agreement between the aforementioned units. Said
overall agreement is then organized into a plurality of smart
contracts or complementary versions of one smart contract in order
to reach or form a consensus. The performance unit can be
configured to perform the at least one task once the working
environment has been set up and/or provided.
[0038] In the context of the present disclosure, the term
"provision" can mean, for example, a set-up, loading and/or storage
of the working environment by a data medium or platform. The
set-up, loading and/or storage are normally effected by one or more
computer program software or firmware packages. The performance
unit can further be configured to coordinate the checking for
complete task performance by one or more units involved in the
working environment. The final status for complete performance of
the task can then be defined in a smart contract. This final status
can then be forwarded to other units.
[0039] The control device can be configured to initiate an approval
of said resources and/or to perform said approval itself.
[0040] The performance unit can further have a monitoring unit
which is configured to log the parameters necessary for the
performance of the at least one task and, if necessary, store said
parameters in the blockchain or in a plurality of blockchains. The
monitoring unit or monitoring component, configured, for example,
as part of support services for the (factory) task performance
which can be or is integrated into the execution infrastructure in
order to monitor different parameters and store them in the
blockchain. This can be used, for example, for a subsequent billing
or input parameters for further smart contract negotiations or
agreements, but can also instigate other smart contracts during the
task performance (as a side effect).
[0041] In some embodiments, one or more infrastructure suppliers
for the execution environment can incorporate further units into
the negotiation of the smart contract for the task performance. The
agreement then includes not only offers and the use of a service
(for example a manufacturing step), but also the supply of the
performance unit or an execution infrastructure correspondingly
including its functionality. The participation of the
infrastructure suppliers in the contract negotiation then also
comprises the resource distribution for a jointly shared or used
infrastructure which is then part of a consensus mechanism.
[0042] In some embodiments, there is a method for setting up and/or
providing a working environment for the performance of at least one
task, having the following steps: [0043] requesting resources
necessary for the working environment, and [0044] comparing the
requested resources with at least one resource agreed upon in a
binding agreement stored in a distributed database and approving
the requested resource in dependence on the comparison result,
wherein [0045] setting up and/or providing the working environment
with at least one compared and approved resource.
[0046] Once the working environment has been set up and/or
provided, a billing of the approved resources can be carried out.
This can be carried out in dependence on the device/system
structure and the business model. Various embodiments of the
teachings herein offer the following advantages: [0047] man-machine
or machine-machine interactions are enabled by the physical and/or
virtual infrastructure by means of an agreement. [0048] (virtual)
working environments are set up and supplied during the runtime of
the system or installation, wherein the agreements are
automatically kept and locally organized, and are defined by
agreement(s). [0049] resource allocation is guaranteed and
protected in a secure manner, wherein a billing of the allocated
resources is optionally possible.
[0050] In some embodiments, there is a computer program (product)
comprising program code which can be executed by at least one
processor and which causes the at least one processor to implement
the methods described herein. The computer program can run or
initiate the performance of a method on a program-controlled device
or facility of the aforementioned type, or can be stored as a
computer program product on a computer-readable medium.
[0051] In addition, one variant of the computer program (product)
having program commands for configuring a creation device can be,
for example, a 3D printer, a computer system or a production
machine suitable for creating processors and/or devices. The method
and computer program (products) can be designed according to the
developments/embodiments of said facility or device and their
developments/embodiments.
[0052] In some embodiments, there is a dynamic and on-demand set-up
of an execution infrastructure performing a trusted and agreed
task, e.g. denoted in FIG. 1 by CT (cooperation task) for smart
contracts SC, said execution infrastructure being implemented by
means of a blockchain technology in a machine economy environment.
Independent units (i.e. different manufacturers or suppliers), for
example factory machines or devices D1 to D4, autonomously or
semi-autonomously offer and use services between one another, and
negotiate, fulfil and document agreements/contracts by means of a
distributed ledger DL which is characterized by a blockchain
technology. FIG. 1 shows, by way of example, a machine economy
environment of this type. Blockchain nodes BC are indicated in the
distributed ledger. Here, the machines are, for example, an
autonomous transport facility TP which comprises a task management
module TM and is connected to or equipped with a mobile
communication device CD1. A further machine is, for example, a
mobile robot MR which also has a task management module TM and a
communication device CD2.
[0053] In order to be able to perform the cooperation task which is
controlled by an order management OM, the communication via the
network NW between the two machines TP and MR must be secured and
furthermore optimally protected. For this purpose, a communication
path SC or a virtual communication connection (virtual network,
e.g. VLAN or SDN, possibly also VPN) is set up according to the
conditions of the smart contract. Finally, resources must be
requested for the machines, said resources enabling a working
environment to be set up and guaranteeing the performance of the
cooperation task which can comprise one or more production tasks or
steps. The communication path is secured against manipulation or
attacks by means of the previously negotiated conditions in the
smart contract and the thus correspondingly defined structure of
the (virtual) communication network. The resources are provided by
a support service which can supply, for example, the device D1 or a
cloud (not shown). The order management OM controlling the set-up
of the working environment, the units TP and the via the
communication path SC with the devices D1, D2, D3 of the network
can be involved here in the example as the above-mentioned working
environment, wherein the resource allocation, e.g. SC, TM, CD1,
CD2, D1, D2, D3 for this working environment is performed following
achievement or fulfilment of the smart contract condition(s) which
is/are stored in the distributed ledger DL.
[0054] In some embodiments, a computer-supported method sets up a
working environment or working infrastructure as soon as the
agreement or the condition resulting from the smart contracts is
fulfilled. According to FIG. 2, the following steps denoted by
numbers 1 to 10 are carried out:
[0055] Denoted by 1: making an agreement: participating machines
make an agreement which can be designed as a smart contract which
is stored in a blockchain. This agreement comprises parameters and
required service level agreements for an infrastructure in live
operation. An agreement could be, for example: machine 1, in FIG. 1
for example MR, manufactured by supplier A, supports or supplies a
task B, in FIG. 1 for example CT, for machine 2, in FIG. 1 for
example TP, manufactured by supplier C, for a price D in a time
window E with requirements X (e.g. machine ID), Y (e.g.
communication service request), Z (e.g. resource request), in FIG.
2, in step 2, for example Z is requested, for the execution
infrastructure or working environment.
[0056] Denoted by 2: resource request: the smart contract contains
infrastructure requests for incorporating infrastructure
manufacturers or suppliers. A request of this type is signed by
means of a smart contract and comprises, for example, the machine
identification (ID), machine signatures, communication service
requirements and requirements for a virtual working environment
(virtual workspace), such as resources involved in the form of
physical or virtual units for storage, processing or communication
or communication connection. Communication service requirements,
such as bandwidth, delay, jitter or specific protocol requirements
(for example Profinet IRT) can be defined as an end-to-end
connection or by means of a simple (virtual) connection. If an
infrastructure supplier cannot confirm and/or meet a requirement,
the smart contract is notified, as a result of which the business
logic is executed in order to search for an alternative supplier.
Every resource which is available in the resource pool notifies the
service of its offering and also the components which can be
offered for the virtual working environment. This possibly also
comprises requirements for the virtual working environment. If the
resource provider cannot meet the requirement, the smart contract
is notified.
[0057] Denoted by 3: setting up or forming or configuring a working
environment: the working environment is constructed by means of
software. It can also comprise hardware infrastructure and contain
a communication connection to remote cloud elements. Participating
infrastructure suppliers allocate resources, set up the virtual
working environment and build a virtual network according to the
guaranteed resource allocations which are based on the signatures
provided by the smart contract. The virtual working environment
with its virtual network layers allows an exclusive communication
between the parties to the contract according to the specification
and/or conditions in the contract. The set-up of the virtual
working environment is performed during the runtime of the system,
including the virtualized execution environment. If necessary,
containers, virtual network functions within a virtual client
network, for example client-specific access control or traffic
adaptation and virtual network functions, are used at system level.
The set-up of the virtual working environment is performed by the
system owner, wherein clients or participants in the client network
are free within the working environment to use the allocated
resources according to the contract without further
interventions/configurations of the system owner. If necessary, the
set-up process uses the infrastructure which is made available by
the distributed ledger. This can be the unmodifiable data memory in
the distributed ledger, for example for subsequent audits or
cryptography elements such as public/private key infrastructure, in
order to identify or authenticate devices or to sign performed
transactions or their steps.
[0058] Denoted by 4: factory task, e.g. cooperation task specified
in FIG. 1, which can comprise a production process: all machines
involved use the allocated resources and perform their factory
tasks or production tasks.
[0059] Denoted by 5: check for correct and/or complete performance
of the factory task: once the factory task is completed, check all
machines involved for complete correct performance of the task and
fulfilment of the agreement/contract by the smart contract.
[0060] Denoted by 6: forwarding of the final status: the smart
contract contains the final status in order to prompt the
participating infrastructure suppliers to release resources.
[0061] Denoted by 7: resource approval: following notification that
the task has been successfully completed, said notification having
been received by the smart contract, the participating
infrastructure suppliers approve resources, i.e. the virtual
infrastructure and the shutdown of all units which form part of the
virtual working environment. Finally, the resource usage, including
its signatures, is reported to the smart contract.
[0062] Denoted by 8: billing: this can be carried out in dependence
on the system structure and the business model.
[0063] Denoted by 9: Support services: Support services deliver
functionalities, such as monitoring infrastructure usage, measuring
resource usage, receiving and handling necessary information (for
example data usage or alarms) from the infrastructure, maintaining
the infrastructure configuration and use. Support functions can
generate alarms and trigger events (for example in the event that
the infrastructure fails or parties to the contract violate the
agreement) and transmit this to the distributed ledger.
[0064] Denoted by 10: distributed ledger: distributed ledger DL
(for example implemented as a blockchain) delivers the
functionality for storing data and a business logic (for example
smart contract) which is unmodifiable in a local manner for
different independent participating units or parties. These
independent units can reach a consensus by means of the smart
contract, thereby implying trust or security. Any data can thus be
stored and agreements can be made which are relevant to the
execution of on-demand business relationships between different
parties involved, for example agreed requirements for the execution
infrastructure, performance of measures and billing
information).
[0065] In some embodiments, there is a monitoring unit or
monitoring component (as part of the support services) for the
factory task performance which is integrated into the execution
infrastructure in order to monitor different parameters and store
them in the distributed ledger. This can be used, for example, for
a subsequent billing or input parameters for further smart contract
negotiations or agreements but can also trigger other smart
contracts during the task performance (as a side effect).
[0066] Although the teachings herein have been illustrated and
described in greater detail by means of the example embodiment, the
scope of the disclosure is not limited by the disclosed examples
and other variations may be derived therefrom by the person skilled
in the art without departing from the protective scope thereof.
[0067] The processes or method sequences described above can be
implemented by means of infrastructures which are present on
computer-readable storage media or in volatile computer memories
(collectively referred to below as computer-readable memories).
Computer-readable memories are, for example, volatile memories such
as caches, buffer memories or RAMS, as well as non-volatile
memories such as removable storage devices, hard disks, etc.
[0068] Functions or steps described above can be present in the
form of at least one set of instructions in/on a computer-readable
memory. The functions or steps are not tied to a specific set of
instructions or to a specific form of sets of instructions or to a
specific storage medium or to a specific processor or to specific
execution schemes, and can be executed by software, firmware,
microcode, hardware, processors, integrated circuits, etc.,
operating in isolation or in any combination. A broad range of
processing strategies can be deployed, for example serial
processing by means of a single processor or multiprocessing or
multitasking or parallel processing, etc.
[0069] The instructions can be stored in local memories, but it is
also possible to store the instructions on a remote system and
access them via a network.
[0070] The term "processor", "central signal processing", "control
unit" or "data evaluation means", as used here, comprises
processing means in the broadest sense, i.e., for example, servers,
universal processors, graphical processors, digital signal
processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs),
programmable logic circuits such as FPGAs, discrete analog or
digital circuits and any combinations thereof, including all other
processing means known to the person skilled in the art or
developed in future. Processors can consist of one or more devices
or facilities or units. If a processor consists of a plurality of
devices, said devices can be designed or configured for parallel or
sequential processing or execution of instructions.
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